Benton County, Missouri: hazard risk
FEMA rates Benton County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 66.8 of 100, higher than 66% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by strong wind. Its storm record holds 672 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 98.0 | $3.5M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | $495K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | $263K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | $483K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | $2.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.8 | $79K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.2 | $902K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 69.5 | $110K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 68.4 | $3K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.4 | $7.7M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.4 | $974K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.1 | $217K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 59.4 | $288K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 27.9 | $8K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 199 | 2 | $2.6M | 48th of 114 | 1505th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 181 | 0 | $288K | 45th of 114 | 683rd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 135 | 4 | $195K | 34th of 114 | 392nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 54 | 0 | $533K | 81st of 114 | 1849th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 0 | $20M | 70th of 114 | 1568th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 25 | 0 | $20M | 55th of 114 | 1222nd of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 18 | 0 | – | 26th of 114 | 544th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 0 | $1.7M | 71st of 114 | 1467th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 9 | 0 | – | 102nd of 114 | 1273rd of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 0 | $16K | 74th of 114 | 2625th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 0 | $34K | 13th of 114 | 565th of 2,972 |
| Lightning | 2 | 1 | $23K | 45th of 114 | 1647th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Benton County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.